In the above referenced application, there is disclosed an apparatus for filling containers as they are advanced by a conveyor. The dispensing apparatus includes a dispenser body having a product inlet and a product outlet and a dispenser valve means for controlling flow from the product inlet to the product outlet. The dispenser body is moved in a generally upright closed loop course having horizontal and vertical components of movement and such that the product outlet moves in the direction of advance of the containers on the conveyor as the dispenser moves through the lower portion of its closed loop course and in the opposite direction during the upper portion of its closed loop course. In the apparatus disclosed in the above referenced application, a valve actuator means is operated in response to the vertical component of movement of the dispenser body to move the dispenser valve means between its open and closed positions.
Such valved dispenser apparatus are operative to dispense product only while the dispenser body is moving through the lower half of its closed loop course and, as disclosed in the aforementioned application, at least two valved dispenser apparatus are advantageously provided and operated out of phase with each other such that dispensing of product from one valved dispenser commences as the dispensing of product from another valved dispenser is shut off to achieve a more uniform rate of flow of product from the supply source and to also effect more rapid filling of the containers.
However, movement of the dispensing valve means between its open and closed position in response to the vertical component of movement of the dispensers body as it is moved in a closed loop course produces a somewhat gradual opening and closing of the dispensing valve means and some problems have been encountered with product spurting and dripping from the dispenser outlet. This is believed to be due to the gradual and non-linear increase and decrease in the rates of flow through the dispenser outlets as the dispenser valves move toward their closed and open positions. In addition, the valve actuator means in that application operated the dispenser valve mechanically in response to the vertical component of movement of the dispenser body, and the filling machine in that application had no provision for preventing dispensing of product in the absence of a container as the conveyor advanced past the dispenser.